Method and apparatus for making bearings

ABSTRACT

This invention is a machine and a method for forming part cylindrical half bearing shells from a continuous elongated strip of lined material in which the strip is moved forward into the press in steps and each movement of the press effects a number of different operations on blanks constituted by successive transverse lengths of the strip. In one pressing step a movement of a die perpendicular to the direction of stepping first severs a blank from the rest of the strip and then forms it to shape in a coining operation.

United States Patent [19] Wales et al.

[ Nov. 27, 1973 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEARINGS [75] Inventors: William Wales; Alistair Robert McCallum, both of Kilmarnock,

Scotland v [73] Assignee: The Glacier Metal Company,

Limited [22] Filed: July 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,634

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 21, 1971 Great Britain 34,089/71 [52] US. Cl 72/331, 29/149.5 R, 29/1495 DP [51] Int. Cl B2ld 7/04 [58] Field of Search 29/149.5 R, 149.5 C,

29/1495 DP, 149.5 S; 72/331, 341, 324

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,262,299 7/ 1966 Hart et a1 72/ 130 3,206,830 9/1965 Hart et a1 29/ 149.5 3,559,263 2/1971 Cavagnero et a1. 29/148.4 3,516,137 6/1970 Fisher et a1. 29/1495 3,545,248 12/1970 Whiteside 72/324 3,675,460 7/ 1972 Cavagnero et a1 72/399 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant ExaminerJames R. Duzan Attorney-Ralph E. Parker et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT This invention is a machine and a method for forming part cylindrical half bearing shells from a continuous elongated strip of lined material in which the strip is moved forward into the press in steps and each movement of the press effects a number of different operations on blanks constituted by successive transverse lengths of the strip. In one pressing step a movement of a die perpendicular to the direction of stepping first severs a blank from the rest of the strip and then forms it to shape in a coining operation.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED NOV 2 7 1975 SHEET 2 [F 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKIN BEARINGS A prior proposal in Vandervel-ls British Pat. No. 1180742 is a somewhat similar method of forming a bearing shell, but the shell is coined or formed by-a'die before it is severed from the rest of the length of the strip as can be seen best in FIG. 2 and this has been found to prevent accurate shaping of the shellbecause I of stresses transmitted through the neck holding iteto the rest of the strip and stresses which act to distort the formed shell during subsequent severing. In the present invention the blank is partly formed and 'then severedv from the strip immediately before being, coined 'and'this can in fact give a very accurately shaped bearing shell by use of a relatively cheap standardpressing: machine. This invention relates to a method and apparatus-for making bearings inwhich a strip .of material is-- fed rest of "the. strip and thento form-the severed blank into part-cylindrical shape.

Advantageouslythe operation constitutes movementi of the die perpendicular to the direction of stepping: movement and then the severing may beeffected .by-an edge of the die and'after severing asurface ofthexdie is used'to define theshapeof asurface of'the formed bearing.

The factthatthe blank is severed at a late-stage in I formation but immediatelyvbefore forming byathe die; means that the forrningwillibe unrestrained by stresses in any-neck connecting the blank'to be formed with the rest of thestrip and .that there will be aminimum :of"

subsequent operations whichmay deform the-bearing.

after formation.

According to another aspect-of the invention aipress for forming bearings" from strip material includes" anumber of pairs of formingtools situated 'sideby' side,

one of. the pairs comprising a die anda block and being arranged for relativemovement'in one stroke ofthe:

press, first to severa partly formed blank from thestrip material and then to form the severed'blank into part cylindrical shape.

The invention may becarriediintopractice in'various. ways and one embodiment will be described by wayof example with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, of which:

FIG. 1 isa perspective view with parts cut away ofa press for making half bearings; continuously from elongated strip lined bean'ngmaterial;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing theform the leadingend of the striptakes duringitspassage through the press;

FIG. 3 is a diagramshowing thepart-shearing and complete shearingactions by which a blank is sheared from theend of the strip;

FIG. 4 is a view looking axially towards the incoming strip showing two progressive steps in the formation of a bearing andin particular the action of coiningyand' FIG. 5 is a diagram of the punching stage.

The elongated strip 11 of bearing material consisting of a backing lined with an appropriate bearing lining is fed lengthwise step by step into horizontal guides 12 in the press. In each of a number of repeated cycles of the press a top bolster 13 is lowered and rises again and the strip is stepped forward by one step between successive.

movements of the bolster. The leading end of the strip passes in turn into four different horizontal positions in each of which it is operated on by different tools in the press for progressively forming it into a finished half bearing so that in fact it takes four cycles of the press to form the leading end of a strip into a finished half bearing.

FIG. 2 shows'the form of the leading end after each press cycle. Thus the first pressing step chamfers both upper and lower faces of the strip at 14'with V chamfersforming the trailing edge of the leading blank so defined and the leading edge of the succeeding blank to be formed. Also at thisstage the backof the bearing is embossed with an identifying mark indicated generally at 1 5.

- In-the secondstage the blank is partly severed from the rest of the .strip byshearing inwardly from both edges at 16- leavingonly a central connecting. neck 17 connecting; the partly severed blank with the rest of the strip. At the same time the blank is partly bent or k-inked out of the flat.

In thethird stage the blank is severed from the rest .of the strip atl8-and is coined into a shape of a semicylindrical shell l9 by coining dies.

In the last stage the coined blank is provided with an oil aperture 21* and a locating tag 22 between cooperating press tools. The next step forward of the strip 11: pushes-the finished half bearing 23 out of the press forv collection.

At-this stage. it may be remarked that if the bearing is to have acylindrical groove this can be formed at an appropriate position in the strip before it enters the Y press as indicated generally at 10.

Theoperations in'the-four different stages are performed by co-operating tools carried respectively in the top bolster 13, and (with one exception) in an intermediate bolster 24 which is normally held up by heavy compression springs 25 from a bottom bolster or base plate 26 but does in fact'bottom on the bottom bolster 26' at the bottom point of each compression cycle.

CI-IAMFERING AND EMBOSSING STAGE PART-SHEARING STAGE In this stage the cuts 16 are made by an angled shear block 31 in the top bolster and an angled shear plate 32 carried on the floating bolster.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of these tools and it will be seenthat the angled edges at the inlet end of the shear block 31 co-operate with the topedge of the adjacent end of the'anvil to effect this shearing action throughoutthe width of the strip at the chamfers except for the small neck 17 at the centre of the width. The block 31 is cut away at 30 where the neck will be.

SHEARING STAGE In the third stage a coining die 33 is lowered on to the partly bent and severed blank which is pushed into the semi-cylindrical interior of the coining die by abend punch 34 which is bolted to the angled shear plate and as the edge of the coining die 33 continues to move downwards past the adjacent edge of the angled shear plate 32 the neck 17 is severed so that the blank is now ready for coining and has been severed from the rest of the strip at the last possible moment before coining.

COINING STAGE Further downward movement of the top bolster with the coining die 33 causes the edges 36 (parallel with the bearing axis) of the curved blank to sit on shoulders 37 one at the top of each of a pair of coining blocks 38. It will be seen that between the bend punch 34 and the coining blocks 38 is a light compression spring 39 for pushing the coining blocks downwards. In fact the contour of the top curved section of the bend punch is not cylindrical so that it only makes light contact in two places with the internal surface of the bearing lining and does not lead to deformation or destruction of this lining (FIGS. 6D and 6E). The coining blocks are the one exception mentioned above to the lower tools in that they are the only lower tools that are not supported by the floating bolster 24. As the top bolster l3 continues with its downward movement the coining blocks bottom on the bottom bolster 26. During the last part of the stroke of the top bolster the blank is coined while the bottom bolster 26 provides the restraint to enable coining of the blank to be effected.

The downward movement of the floating bolster also effects a horizontal movement towards the main body of the strip 11 of an end-face-restraint block 41 through cams (not shown). This block 41 has an end face 42 which moves against the leading semi-circular end of the blank while the trailing semi-circular end is forced against the leading face of the angled shear plate 32. Thus during coining all the surfaces of the blank are under pressure except the internal curved surface of the lining. If the curved surface is acted on by the coining die, the edges 36 sit on the shoulders on the coining blocks and the ends are pressed between the faces of the end face restraint block 41 and the angled shear plate 32. In this way a precisely shaped blank is produced.

As the top bolstr 13 rises again, although the cams do not still provide the large force necessary for coining, a light spring 40 against the block 41 enables the blank to be held between the face of the block 41 and the plate 32 which act to separate it from the interior of the coining die 33. After the coining die has cleared the top of the coined blank, a lost-motion coupling between shoulders 43 on the coining die and shoulders 44 on legs 45 carrying the coining blocks 38 ensures that during the further movement of the top bolster 13 to its uppermost position, the coining blocks are lifted to lift the coined blank sufficiently for it to be pushed forward to the fourth stage by the following part of the strip as it is next stepped forward.

PUNCHING AND TAGGING STAGE In this stage the coined blank has a locating tag and an oil aperture punched in it through co-operating upper and lower tools 46 and 47 carried respectively on the top bolster and the floating bolster and during this operation the coined blank is located against a locating block 48 at the front of the top tools. A spring ejector 52 ejects the punched blank from the top tool.

The next forward step of the strip 11 causing the just coined blank to push the tagged and punched finished half bearing on to a guide 49 as indicated at 51.

The stepping of the strip is by a mechanical drive against a stop constituted by the rear face of the angled shear block 31. The widths of the tools in the successive stages are slightly greater for the later stages to allow for spread of the material during forming and to eliminate any slivers of waste material, but in order to prevent the rising coining die 33 from fouling and damaging the leading end of the partly sheared blank about to the stepped forward for coining, a slight counter feed is introduced by a spring (not shown) just before the coining die rises. The spring acts to tilt the lower chamfering tool 28 rearwardly, and this is of course engaged with the under side of the blank which has just been chamfered.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of making bearings in which a strip of material is fed lengthwise into a press step by step, and the press is operated after each step to perform an operation on each of a number of different blanks constituting successive transverse lengths of said strip, one operation of the press constituting a movement of a first die to partially sever a bearing blank and partially deform said blank from the rest of the strip while leaving the partially severed and deformed blank attached to the rest of the strip by a local neck, and a succeeding operation constituting a single movement of a second die perpendicular to the general surface of the strip first to sever the neck to release the blank completely from the rest of the strip and second, in a later part of the movement of the die to form the completelysevered blank into part-cylindrical shape.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the severing of the neck is effected by an edge of the first die.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the successive operations on the strip are performed by side by side pairs of tools.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which one tool of each pair of certain tools are mounted on a base and the others are mounted on a part which can move in relation to the base.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which movement of the said part in relation to the base in the direction of pressing movement effects movement of components in the direction of stepping.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which certain of the tools performing successive operations extend through different lengths in the direction of stepping of the strip.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the trailing edge of a severed blank is directly severed from the leading edge of a following blank so that no scrap slivers of strip material are formed.

8. A press for forming bearings from strip material including a number of pairs of forming tools situated side by side, one of the pairs comprising severing tools arranged for relative movement in one stroke of the press, arrangedto partially sever and partially deform a bearing blank from the rest of the strip while leaving the partly severed blank attached to the rest of the strip by a local neck, and a succeeding pair of forming tools comprising a die and a blank arranged for relative movement in one stroke of the press first to sever the neck to release the partially severed blank completely from the rest of the strip and second in a later part of the said one stroke to form the severed blank into partcylindrical shape.

9. A press as claimed in claim 8 including pairs of tools for performing each of the operations of chamfering, embossing, part-severing and grooving positioned upstream of the said one of the pairs.

10. A press as claimed in claim 8 in which one of the tools of the said one of the pairs is mounted on a base and other tools one from each of the other pairs are mounted on a part which can move in relation to the base perpendicular to the length of the strip material.

11. A press as claimed in claim 10 including a connection for effecting movement of a part of the press in the direction of the length of the strip material in consequence of movement of the moving part in relation to the base.

12. A press as claimed in claim 8 in which the components for severing a partly formed blank from the rest of the strip material comprise respectively the die and the shearing edge of a component which is positioned immediately on the inlet side of the die.

13. A press as claimed in claim 12 in which the block, the die and a pair of bearing end engaging surfaces act during forming of the severed blank to confine all the faces of the blank except the internal part-cylindrical surface. 

1. A method of making bearings in which a strip of material is fed lengthwise into a press step by step, and the press is operated after each step to perform an operation on each of a number of different blanks constituting successive transverse lengths of said strip, one operation of the press constituting a movement of a first die to partially sever a bearing blank and partially deform said blank from the rest of the strip while leaving the partially severed and deformed blank attached to the rest of the strip by a local neck, and a succeeding operation constituting a single movement of a second die perpendicular to the general surface of the strip first to sever the neck to release the blank completely from the rest of the strip and second, in a later part of the movement of the die to form the completely-severed blank into part-cylindrical shape.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the severing of the neck is effected by an edge of the first die.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the successive operations on the strip are performed by side by side pairs of tools.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which one tool of each pair of certain tools are mounted on a base and the others are mounted on a part which can move in relation to the base.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which movement of the said part in relation to the base in the direction of pressing movement effects movement of components in the direction of stepping.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which certain of the tools performing successive operations extend through different lengths in the direction of stepping of the strip.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the trailing edge of a severed blank is directly severed from the leading edge of a following blank so that no scrap slivers of strip material are formed.
 8. A press for forming bearings from strip material including a number of pairs of forming tools situated side by side, one of the pairs comprising severing tools arranged for relative movement in one stroke of the press, arranged to partially sever and partially deform a bearing blank from the rest of the strip while leaving the partly severed blank attached to the rest of the strip by a local neck, and a succeeding pair of forming tools comprising a die and a blank arranged for relative movement in one stroke of the press first to sever the neck to release the partially severed blank completely from the rest of the strip and second in a later part of the said one stroke to form the severed blank into part-cylindrical shape.
 9. A press as claimed in claim 8 including pairs of tools for performing each of the operations of chamfering, embossing, part-severing and grooving positioned upstream of the said one of the pairs.
 10. A press as claimed in claim 8 in which one of the tools of the said one of the pairs is mounted on a base and other tools one from each of the other pairs are mounted on a part which can move in relation to the base perpendicular to the length of the strip material.
 11. A press as claimed in claim 10 including a connection for effecting movement of a part of the press in the direction of the length of the strip material in consequence of movement of the moving part in relation to the base.
 12. A press as claimed in claim 8 in which the components for severing a partly formed blank from the rest of the strip material comprise respectively the die and the shearing edge of a component which is positioned immediately on the inlet side of the die.
 13. A press as claimed in claim 12 in which the bLock, the die and a pair of bearing end engaging surfaces act during forming of the severed blank to confine all the faces of the blank except the internal part-cylindrical surface. 